[BLOG] The Out-of Country Ticos Did Not Vote – Hell No!

Why the out-of-country Tico did not vote, according to the TSE, is because of the Super Bowl. What a crazy conjecture is that? And in China it was because our elections were held during the Chinese New Year celebration. An even crazier assumption.

Did it ever occur to the TSE and the candidates that those Ticos living abroad have adopted that country’s standards and values while erasing those of Costa Rica?

It seems in the Land of Paradise, getting out to vote is far more critical than intelligent voting, knowing the country’s politics, economy, social conditions and the candidates.

Just vote and you are “cool”.

Those who do not know or care about the homeland should not vote as those who live here and are on the same page with real life conditions. An irresponsible vote is as bad as or worse than a “no” vote as a “no” can be translated to, “…nobody should win.”

Costa Ricans residing out of the country cannot vote for representation in the Assembly, cannot vote for provincial representation so why should they care about the president?

Cry all you want, but let’s be clear that much like the United States, the people here are fed up with politicians, be they right, left or center!

We are fed up with no policy, ambiguous policy, corruption, crime and oligarchy as are the our folks who live in other countries. The only reason these Ticos moved to the U.S. in the first place is to find an improved standard of life, or at least the opportunity of same. Why in the world would they and how would they get involved in our political situation which is only a few steps a way from the proverbial turkey dance.

The candidates for president must win on their own merits and the TSE must find a way to create value for the 30% + of eligible local voters who never stepped foot outside of their homes. And, we in Paradise, did not and will not likely have the Super Bowl, snow storms or anything remotely resembling the Year of the Horse in China to blame.

“No,” those 30% + people who did not vote are because…they did not vote.

On this second round between two candidates, which makes far more sense than the first round of 13 candidates, it is predicted that fewer Ticos will vote: less than 70 percent. Why? Who knows except, as earlier reported, the people are fed up with politicians in general?

The Partido Liberación of Johnny Araya seems to have a substantial amount of in-fighting and some, the old school, want this person to quit while the party concentrates on 2016. As in the Los Angeles Lakers, it is called “tanking” in order to have a solid draft choice for the future. But what will happen “now” ?

Duh!

Will Ying and Yang, the Arias brothers make a comeback when PAC (Solis) cannot save Pura Vida from economic disaster? Will Liberación once again reign as the omniscient political power? Will we have, in the next election, a truly leftist government because the public just does not give a damn who becomes president nor who are the members of the Assembly because the elected members have, for years and years, performed miserably?

As expats, guard your investments, think before moving and be willing to swallow the same conditions and attitudes that are evident in the United States and most of Europe.

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An expat from the U.S., educator and writer in English and Spanish since 1978 with a doctorate in business administrations (DBA) from the United States and Germany. A feature writer for ABC News, Copley Press and the Tribune Group with emphasis on Central America.